Watch It Burn
by Ceiphied Knight
Summary: AU - following the events of 'Skin Deep' and 'Dreamy.' A short-lived reunion and an explanation. Still no happy endings, though. At least, not yet.
1. Watch it Burn

**WATCH IT BURN**

_I'm working on the next chapter to my other story, I promise! But this little plot bunny came to me from a theory I read (not a legit theory, really, but a creative one) and my love for a show called Pushing Daisies, which was cancelled before its time. In the show, the two main characters were in love but were unable to touch due to a specific type of magic. So they found ways around it._

_Also, this is only rated PG-13 due to some language and implied things. I tried to make smut come out, but alas. AU - what could have happened after the events of 'Skin Deep' and 'Dreamy'._

_Apparently, I enjoy writing Regina being a crazy, evil bitch more than I ever would have imagined._

* * *

Belle said her final goodbyes to the kind dwarves she'd met in the tavern dining hall, and made her way upstairs to her room.

After being ejected from the Dark Castle, her first instinct was to go home. However, the idea of using her new found freedom to travel the world was far too tempting. After all, she'd already planned to never see her father again. Maybe in a couple of years, once she'd experienced more, she'd head back to her village.

Belle smiled to herself. Her father would hardly recognize her, even now. His high born daughter, wearing the clothes of a common girl but carrying enough golden thread to be able to travel the world twice over.

She'd nabbed it on her way out. He certainly had enough riches to be able to spare a few spools, after all. It was the least he could do (though he hadn't actually known about it) considering how he'd broken her heart.

As Belle entered her dark room, however, she realized that she wasn't feeling particularly broken. She was feeling stronger than ever, because she knew that Rumplestiltskin loved her. The kiss had been working, after all. Her mistake had been to listen to the Queen, when she should have spoken to Rumplestiltskin about it first.

That part was her fault, and she would take responsibility. However, his actions were his own. His cowardice was his own.

Belle lit a lantern and set it on the table next to her small bed.

"You're looking well, dearie."

Belle jumped and let out a very unladylike string of profanities.

Laying on her bed as if he'd always been there was Rumplestiltskin. He was dressed in the same clothes he'd worn when he'd thrown her out, which made Belle wonder if he'd slept, bathed or eaten since that day. Not that it was any of her business anymore.

She drew closer to him, and saw redness in his eyes.

Ah, he'd been hitting the bottle since she'd been gone.

"How did you find me?" was the first question out of Belle's mouth.

The Dark One let out a giggle that would have set most people on edge. Luckily, Belle wasn't most people. She had to surpress a smile.

"Quite easy, my dear," he said, falling back into his game of playing the gentleman. He even managed to not slur his words too much. "I followed the gold you so kindly borrowed from me without my knowledge. I made it, you know, and I can always sense my own magic. You have it in your pockets, your corset, your…"

"All right, I get the point!" Belle exclaimed, feeling a slight blush rise to her cheeks. In retrospect, she may have hit the ale a little too hard, herself.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "What are you doing here? Come to take back your precious gold?"

Rumplestiltskin leaned toward her until their noses were almost touching. "I have plenty of gold, dearie. I came to take something much more precious to me."

"What?" the words barely made it passed Belle's lips. She could smell the liquor on the sorcerer's breath, but it only fueled the sudden desire she felt looming in the lower regions of her body. Seeing the object of her affection lounging on her bed in those _damn _leather pants may have also had something to do with it.

Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin produced a thin piece of sheer, golden cloth from thin air. It was smaller than a proper handkerchief and Belle arched an eyebrow at him.

"I made this special, just for you," her would-be lover purred. "It suppresses magic. Watch."

And with that, he placed the fabric over her lips and then leaned forward to kiss her wantonly through the thin material.

Belle's head was spinning. Her eyes fluttered closed and she found herself eagerly returning the kiss. The fabric between their lips was easily ignored and she soon felt his hands on her arms, rubbing up and down. She responded by letting her own hands rest on his chest. His heart was pounding.

They finally parted so that they could breathe. Belle opened her eyes to the grayish-gold skin and amber eyes that she was used to.

"It worked," she said with a smile.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Rumplestiltskin asked with a smug grin. She playfully batted his shoulder.

The imp pulled her down onto the bed, and she quickly snuggled up against his chest.

"You know," Belle said after a moment, "I should be furious with you. But I guess I can forgive you as long as you can assure me that you've been thinking about me every waking moment since I left."

"Belle," Rumplestiltskin began, his voice an octave lower than usual, "I've been thinking about you every waking moment since you came into my home and started breaking my fine china."

That was all she needed to hear. Belle grabbed the magical cloth, which had fluttered to lay on the wool blanket next to them, and placed it over his mouth.

"Prove it," was all she said before leaning down and capturing his lips in a kiss that would have put fire to shame.

* * *

Belle awoke the next morning, sore in places but otherwise feeling safer and more relaxed than she had in a while.

Rumplestiltskin was curled up next to her, looking more peaceful than she had ever seen him. In sleep, his face lacked many of the worry lines he often wore. There were no dimples from insane giggles. There was only contentment.

Belle gently rubbed the back of her hand down his oddly colored cheek.

The sorcerer's eyes opened slowly, and he looked up at his love.

"Good," he said, his voice lilting in the higher octave she was used to, "it wasn't a dream. I've had many like that, you know."

She batted at him, but couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up out of her throat.

Belle stretched, letting the blankets fall from her petite frame. Modesty wasn't really necessary anymore.

Rumplestiltskin wanted nothing more in the world than to grab her and make love to her again…possibly for the rest of the day.

But, sadly, he couldn't have his happily ever after. At least, not yet.

"Belle," he said, quietly, reaching out and grabbing her wrist. The beauty stopped and turned back to him, half off the bed already.

The smile she had been wearing faltered when she saw his expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked, climbing back into bed and curling up next to him.

"I have to go," he said, simply.

Belle smiled and pushed away from him again, "All right, give me a moment to pack some things and…"

"No, Belle," Rumplestiltskin interrupted her, pulling on her hand to keep her in place. "I have to go, but you have to stay. Travel the world, do all the things you've dreamed about. In fact, get as far away from the Enchanted Forest as possible."

The imp watched as her beautiful mouth frowned, and her forehead creased in confusion. He knew what her next question would be, and he dreaded it more than anything.

"Why?" she breathed.

With a sigh of frustration, the Dark One pulled the beautiful girl back toward himself and cradled her. It would be better for both of them if he could just push her away…but he couldn't bring himself to let her go just yet.

"Belle, that woman you met on the road. The Queen. She's a very powerful enemy of mine. She would do anything to try and destroy me, as she did on the night she sent you to kiss me. If I were made weak, if I had no power, then she would be the most powerful woman in all the lands. There would be no stopping her. There are some things even she cannot do, so she comes to me for deals, or summons me as your father did. She is powerful, without a doubt. I know all too well the extent of her power. But she's not as powerful as me."

Belle's expression softened, and she nodded at him to continue.

"She's already used you against me once. And just because you now know her face, it doesn't matter. She can disguise herself. Or she could simply _hurt _you to get to me. She could catch you on the road again, or rip you from me while I'm away on a trip. I won't make you a prisoner in my home, Belle, just because I'm afraid for you. And I would never forgive myself if something happened to you on my account. So she must think that I've cast you away because True Love's Kiss _failed._"

Belle's eyes widened as understanding struck her like a ton of bricks.

"That's why you did it. You were protecting me." It was not a question.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, pressing a feather light kiss to her forehead.

"But I'm weak," he said, quietly. "I couldn't stay away."

Belle cupped her lover's cheek and said, "I'm happy you came back."

He groped for the magical cloth and captured Belle's lips in one last kiss. His hands cupped her lovely, pale breasts and he felt himself about to give in again.

But this had to end sometime, and if he didn't get going he'd never be able to leave.

Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Rumplestiltskin gently pushed back on Belle's shoulders and looked at her. "I have to go now. If you should ever find yourself in dire straights, call my name three times and I will come. Otherwise, it must be as if we're strangers."

Belle's eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she was brave and would not allow them to fall. She steeled her shoulders and nodded.

"Promise me it's not forever," she finally managed, her voice hoarse with emotion.

"I promise, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, finally standing and magicking himself back into his clothes. "We'll be together again. I have a plan."

With that, he disappeared.

Belle found herself laying down on his side of the bed they had shared, still warm and smelling of him. She finally allowed herself to cry.

* * *

_"She threw herself off the tower. She died."_

It wasn't possible. Rumplestiltskin knew that the bitch Queen was lying, but in all his panic he had not been able to disprove her story.

He had gone to her village, and been told the same thing. But he knew that if she'd found herself locked away in a tower, being tortured by clerics, she would have called for him.

Unless she couldn't.

Rumplestiltskin's rage and panic grew, exponentially. Days passed, then weeks. Then months. Still, he could find no sign of his Belle.

The one thing he couldn't do was go straight to the Queen's castle, and she had to have known that.

In the lowest dungeons the Queen possessed, she was making her weekly rounds. She stopped just outside the door of her favorite prize, and unlocked it with a wave of her hand.

Inside, looking gaunt and pale, was Belle. Her curly chestnut hair was limp, and she sat in her own filth. When she saw the Queen, her hand instinctively fluttered over her gently swollen belly.

"Well, well," Regina smirked. "Looks like you're finally starting to show. The devil's whore, indeed."

"It's…it's not his," Belle attempted, her voice weak but unwavering, "I was raped on the road by a bandit…"

"Please, child," Regina interrupted, her malicious red smile never faltering, "I wasn't born yesterday. You bear a child conceived of True Love. Trust me, I know these things."

Then, her eyes darkened more than usual as she continued, "But if there's one person in this land who doesn't deserve happiness, besides that damned Snow White, it's _him."_

With a flourish of her hand, the cell door slammed shut, leaving Belle in the dark again.

As she walked away, heels clattering on the stone floors, Regina heard the girl calling his name. She had made sure that the runes surrounding the girl's cell would make him unable to hear or, or find her, no matter how hard he tried.

And when the little bundle finally came, well, Regina was sure she'd find a use for it.


	2. We'll Be a Sweet Disaster

**CHAPTER TWO: We'll Be a Sweet Disaster**

* * *

Belle's screams echoed in the dank dungeon hallways.

She had been laboring for seventeen hours. Regina had fetched a midwife but had otherwise made herself scarce. All of the screaming was giving her a headache.

Finally, blessedly, the baby boy slid free of his mother and landed in the midwife's arms. The cord was cut and then the baby was swept from the cell. Belle sobbed for him, screamed for Rumplestiltskin to come save their son, but no one answered. Her arms ached to hold her child, so Belle wept. She rarely allowed herself to show such weakness, but she had just been through so much pain…and she was just so tired…and she felt empty without the baby inside of her…

Regina appeared and used magic to staunch her bleeding. It was the only kindness she had showed, and Belle was certain it was only because she was too valuable a prisoner for Regina to allow her to bleed to death.

"Where is he?" Belle asked through gritted teeth.

Regina smiled her poisonous smile. "That's none of your concern. He will be tended to."

"Tended to?" Belle snapped, "What the hell does that even mean?"

Regina's red-lipped smile didn't waver. "It means he'll be raised in the lap of luxury. He'll be like a son to me."

"He's MY son!" Belle screamed, lunging at the witch but doubling over in pain before she got within arms reach of her.

With a shake of her head and a "tsk tsk," Regina spun on her heel and left Belle alone in her cell once again.

Alone with her pain, bloodstains and misery.

* * *

Regina entered her chambers and nearly sighed when she saw her father cooing over the baby.

"Daddy," Regina said, gently, "don't get too attached. I'm not sure if I want to keep him as a ward or send him off to the kitchens."

"Darling, he's just a baby," Henry said, looking up at his daughter with pleading eyes, "We should at least train him as a footman or some such thing."

"Hmmmm," Regina purred in the back of her throat, looking at the gurgling bundle. He was probably hungry, and she knew nothing of raising children.

"So be it," she finally conceded. "I put you in charge of the boy's upbringing."

Henry beamed.

Regina left him to it and approached her largest magic mirror.

"What of Rumplestiltskin?" she asked her reflection.

Her face vanished in a swirl of smoke, to be replaced by the bearded face of the former Genie who had made the grave mistake of loving her.

"He's losing his mind, Your Grace," the Genie's voice boomed. "Quite the madman, I daresay. He must have really loved that girl to be consumed by such guilt. The prices of his deals are becoming more…severe. He drinks frequently. He keeps searching for her because there is no grave. There is no body, Your Grace, so he still holds on to hope. I think that hope will be his undoing."

Regina's crimson mouth turned up in a small smile.

"It always is," she said.

* * *

"Belle," Rumplestiltskin found himself talking to her again. The saying goes that talking to oneself is the first sign of insanity.

He realizes that he doesn't care.

"I'll find you," he promises to the emptiness of his alchemy lab. "I know that bitch was lying. She lies still. But I'll have the last laugh."

But just as the words escaped his mouth, his latest attempt at a potion to locate True Love exploded in its vial.

Rumplestiltskin overturned a long table in anger, lashing out as he so often did. Then he grabbed his flask and took a long swig of the strongest whiskey he could find within ten kingdoms.

Feeling a bit more calm, he decided that perhaps it was time to rethink this course of action. If no potion could find her anywhere in the world, then perhaps it was time to change the world…

**To Be Continued...**


End file.
